In the amill camp, Satan being bound for a thousand years occurred at the
first advent of Christ. The thousand years is the period of time between
the two advents of Christ.

Satan being loosed at the end of the thousand years refers to that time
just prior to the second advent when the Antichrist appears on earth with
unparalleled freedom to vent his wrath upon God's children during the
Great Tribulation.

> Colleagues,
>
> In a recent discussion of this difficult apocalyptic text, (Rev 20:2-4)
>
> He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent,
> who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him
> into the pit, and locked and sealed it over him, so that he would deceive
> the nations
> no more, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be let out
> for a
> little while.
>
> a participant suggested that satan is bound for 1000 years so that there is
> peace on earth and let loose so that those alive have the same "trials and
> difficulties" that everyone else on earth has faced so that "everything
> equals out".
>
> The supposition was that if all people do not face the same trials then
> there is somehow inequity in God.
>
> Does anyone have a suggestion as to why satan is let loose (instead of
> simply remaining bound)? I mean, what are some suggested theological
> explanations for this? (Believe me, I have checked all the commentaries of
> note- and I mean all of them!, and found them wanting).
>
> Thanks,
>
> Jim
>
> +++++++++++++++++++++++
> Jim West, ThD
> Pastor, Petros Baptist Church
> jwest@highland.net>
>
> "Si hoc legere scis nimium eruditionis habes!"
>